Hey George,

Unfortunately I missed the Webinar because I was on a road gig, but I recently took a course on music licensing and picked up some good ideas. I agree with you that not all music is appropriate for all things, but as I understand it, you just submit your music to the music libraries, and they shop it to the appropriate markets.

One interesting tip that I learned is to submit your music in three forms. (Providing your music has vocals)

The first format is the same mix you would have for release on a CD. The second is the same mix, but with the vocals reduced to the point that they don't stand out, but instead are almost buried in the mix. The third is with the vocals completly removed.

I understood the first format, but the second and third made no sense at all. But then I really started listening to music in films and commercials. During the credits, which quite frankly are boring and I doubt that anybody really reads all of them, something is needed to keep peoples interest. After all, what are credits? They are advertising for the people that made the movie! A catchy (no pun intended!) or beautiful song that demands attention will keep people there during the credits. I know it works on me! If you stay and listen to the song, without realizing it, your eyes will usually stay on the screen, reading credits. Makes sense....

But during the movie, tv show or commercial, just the opposite is usually needed. The focus needs to be on the story, or what the actors are doing, or on the product. The music now becomes secondary, but still a very important emotional connection. With a lot of music, vocals are telling a story. It would be distracting to have two storys going at once, even if they are similar. So if the vocals are reduced, the basic emotional idea of the music helps support the story or product, rather than compete with it.

The third format, with the vocals completly removed makes sense too. Music conveys emotion, with or without vocals, and  TV, movies, and commercials are all about effecting emotion. If your music, without vocals, has what a music buyer needs, then you've just made a sale, and isn't that why you wanted to license your music in the first place?

I've been studying a ton of licensed music lately, both new and old. My wife likes to buy old VHS movies at garage sales, and we also watch current movies too. With the older movies, much of the music was provided by major, very recognizable artists. With the newer stuff, I have noticed a real change to more obscure, unknown artists. Major artists are very expensive, and the people who make TV, movies and commercials have been effected by the economy and inflation just like the rest of us. The independed music scene is very real, so it only makes sense that music buyers look in our direction to save money. Besides, where do they usually put the credits for the music? At the very end! $10 bucks say's they do that so if someone hears a song they like by an unfamiliar artist, they will sit all the way through the credits to see who that artist is.

Hope I didn't stray to far off topic here. Like I said, I didn't get to see the webinar, but if you are interested in licensing your music, I suggest that you submit to as many buyers as you can. Eventualy you will find the right buyer, who has the right market, who knows the right people, who you can develop a relationship with, and see some income from licensing.